As you may already know, tap water can contain numerous
impurities, up to and including lead, mercury, bacteria, drugs and pesticides.
A good water filter takes these contaminants out of the equation, restoring
your water to peak condition. Not only is filtered water better for you, but it
tastes better, as well.

Carbon water filters are among the most popular,
commonly found types out there, but what are
carbon filters? What makes them different from other filters and how do
they work?

Most importantly, are they a good fit for your
household’s needs? Let’s take a closer look at the answers to these questions
and more.

What
Is a Carbon Water Filter and How Does It Work?

Carbon
filtration is a method that harnesses the power of activated
carbon to remove chemicals, debris and other contaminants from your water. Why
carbon? Well, chemically speaking, carbon is very efficient when it comes to trapping unwanted elements. Each
carbon particle comes attached to a very large surface area, meaning the
likelihood of a contaminant being exposed to and trapped by an active site is
very high.

When water is forced through a carbon water filter,
contaminants and toxins become trapped in the process. They’re prevented from
moving through the filter along with the water as a result, leaving you with nothing
but clean, sweet-smelling water that’s free of anything that could harm you.

Carbon filtration differs from reverse osmosis (RO)
filtration. In RO filtration, water is forced through a semi-permeable membrane
instead of the carbon-based system described above.

How
Well Do Carbon Water Filters Work?

A carbon water filter is actually quite good at removing numerous contaminants that are commonly
undesired by consumers. They’re also inexpensive and widely available, making
it easy for even frugal, budget-sensitive households to enjoy clean, drinkable
water at home. However, like all filters, carbon filters are better at removing
some contaminants from your water than others.

What Carbon Filters Remove

Carbon filters are excellent at removing chemical
compounds from water that can make it unsafe to drink. Examples include
chlorine, benzene and radon. They’re also excellent at getting rid of solvents
and volatile organic chemical compounds like pesticides that might be present
in tap water, thanks to agricultural runoff.

In fact, the chemicals
and unwanted elements a carbon filter can remove actually number in the
hundreds. They include many man-made examples your water could contact at any
point as it moves through the municipal water system and pipes. Carbon filters
are also stellar at improving the smell and taste of tap water.

What Carbon Filters Can’t Remove

Although there are some exceptions, most carbon
filters aren’t as efficient at getting rid of inorganic chemicals that tend to
dissolve in water (i.e. most pharmaceuticals). The same goes for heavy metals
and additional substances like arsenic, asbestos, copper, fluoride, nickel,
cadmium and mercury.

Are
Carbon Filters Right for Your Household?

Whether or not a carbon filter is the right fit for
your family depends largely on what’s actually in your water. It varies from region to region and even home to
home, so if you haven’t done so already, you’ll want to get a report that tells
you what’s what.

Check your city’s government website for published
accounts of what’s in the municipal water in your area. You can also test
your water on your own, if you prefer. If your water is found to
contain high levels of contaminants like bacteria or heavy metals, a reverse
osmosis filter may be a better fit for your home, as carbon filters will have
trouble removing those substances.

For most people’s purposes, though, a carbon water
filter is a perfect fit. You have lots of different options to choose from, as
well. You can install faucet water filters or under-the-sink
water filters right onto your kitchen sink for the very
ultimate in convenience.

More interested in continuous access to cold,
ready-to-drink filtered water and ice cubes right from your fridge? Try a
refrigerator filter instead. You can even purchase filters that treat all of
the water coming into your entire home, should you prefer

At the end of the day, carbon water filters bring
loads of benefits to the table. They’re affordable, they’re convenient and
they’re effective when it comes to purifying your water in so many ways. Get
yours today!